Bypass path loss reduction

ABSTRACT

Aspects of this disclosure relate to reducing insertion loss associated with a bypass path. In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a first switch having at least two throws, a second switch having at least two throws, a bypass path between the first switch and the second switch, and at least one inductor. The at least one inductor is configured to compensate for capacitance associated with the bypass path to cause insertion loss of the bypass path to be reduced.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/678,390, filed Apr. 3, 2015 and titled “BYPASS PATH LOSS REDUCTION”,which claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/986,556, filed Apr. 30, 2014 andtitled “BYPASS PATH LOSS REDUCTION”, the entire technical disclosures ofeach of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

This disclosure relates to electronic systems and, in particular, toradio frequency (RF) electronics.

Description of the Related Technology

A radio frequency (RF) system can include antennas for receiving and/ortransmitting RF signals. There can be several components in an RF systemthat may access the antennas. For example, an RF system can includedifferent transmit and/or receive paths associated with differentfrequency bands, different communication standards and/or differentpower modes, and each path may access a particular antenna at certaininstances in time.

An antenna switch module can be used to electrically connect an antennato a particular transmit or receive path of the RF system, therebyallowing multiple components to access the antennas. In certainconfigurations, an antenna switch module is in communication with adiversity module, which processes signals received and/or transmittedusing one or more diversity antennas. The diversity module can include abypass path that bypasses the receive path and/or transmit pathprocessing of signals in the diversity module.

SUMMARY OF CERTAIN INVENTIVE ASPECTS

The innovations described in the claims each have several aspects, nosingle one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes.Without limiting the scope of the claims, some prominent features willnow be briefly described.

One aspect of this disclosure is an apparatus that includes, a firstswitch having at least two throws, a second switch having at least twothrows, a bypass path electrically connecting the first switch and thesecond switch, and at least one inductor configured to compensate for acapacitance associated with the bypass path to cause insertion loss ofthe bypass path to be reduced.

The at least one inductor can compensation for at least one of an offstate capacitance of the first switch, an off state capacitance of thesecond switch, or a capacitance of a transmission line of the bypasspath.

The at least one inductor can include a first inductor configured tocompensate for an off state capacitance of the first switch. The offstate capacitance of the first switch can include an off state seriescapacitance and an off state shunt capacitance. The first switch can becoupled between the first inductor and the bypass path. The at least oneinductor can also include a second inductor configured to compensate foran off state capacitance of the second switch. The at least one inductorcan also include a third inductor configured to compensate for acapacitance of a transmission line of the bypass path.

The apparatus can also include a radio frequency signal pathelectrically coupled between the first switch and the second switch, inwhich the radio frequency signal path configured to process a radiofrequency signal. The first switch can be configured to electricallyconnect an antenna port to the bypass path and electrically isolate theantenna port from the radio frequency signal path in a first state, andthe first switch can be configured to electrically connect the antennaport to the radio frequency signal path and electrically isolate theantenna port from the bypass path in a second state. The radio frequencysignal path can be a receive path. The radio frequency signal path canbe a transmit path.

The apparatus can include a diversity module. The diversity module caninclude at least the first switch, the second switch, and the bypasspath. The diversity module can also include the at least one inductor.The apparatus can further include a plurality of antennas, in which theplurality of antennas includes a diversity antenna in communication withthe first switch of the diversity module. The apparatus can furtherinclude an antenna switch module in communication with the secondswitch.

Another aspect of this disclosure is an apparatus that includes a firstswitch having at least two throws, a second switch having at least twothrows, a radio frequency signal path, a bypass path, and an inductor.The radio frequency signal path is electrically coupled between thefirst switch and the second switch. The radio frequency signal path isconfigured to process a radio frequency signal. The bypass path iselectrically coupled between the first switch and the second switch. Theinductor is configured to compensate for an off state capacitance of thefirst switch to cause insertion loss associated with the bypass path tobe reduced.

The apparatus can further include a second inductor configured tocompensate for an off state capacitance of the second switch to causeinsertion loss associated with the bypass path to be reduced. Theapparatus can further include a third inductor configured to compensatefor a capacitance of the bypass path to cause insertion loss associatedwith the bypass path to be reduced.

The inductor can have a tunable inductance. The inductor can beconfigured as a shunt inductor. The first switch can be coupled betweenthe inductor and the bypass path.

The apparatus can further include receive paths between the first switchand the second switch, in which the receive paths include the radiofrequency signal path. The first switch can be configured toelectrically connect an antenna port to the bypass path and electricallyisolate the antenna port from the receive paths in a first state. Thefirst switch can be configured to electrically connect the antenna portto a selected one of the receive paths and electrically isolate thebypass path from the antenna port and other receive paths of the receivepaths in a second state.

Another aspect of this disclosure is an electronically-implementedmethod of reducing insertion loss associated with a bypass path. Themethod includes operating a diversity module in a bypass mode such thatan input of the diversity module is coupled to an output of thediversity module by way of a bypass path that electrically connects afirst switch having at least two throws with a second switch having atleast two throws. The method also includes, while operating thediversity module in the bypass mode, substantially canceling capacitanceassociated with the bypass path to cause insertion loss associated withthe bypass mode to be reduced.

Another aspect of this disclosure is an apparatus that includes a bypasspath, a receive path, and at least one inductor. The bypass pathelectrically connects a first switch coupled to an antenna port with asecond switch coupled to an antenna switch module, in which the firstswitch having at least two throws, and the second switch having at leasttwo throws. The receive path is electrically coupled between the firstswitch with the second switch. The receive path includes a filter and alow noise amplifier. The at least one inductor is configured tocompensate for capacitance associated with at least one of an off stateof the first switch, an off state of the second switch, or atransmission line of the bypass path.

Another aspects of this disclosure is an apparatus that includes a firstswitch having at least two throws, a second switch having at least twothrows, a receive path electrically connecting the first switch and thesecond switch, a bypass path electrically connecting the first switchand the second switch, a first inductor, a second inductor, and a thirdinductor. The first inductor is configured to compensate for an offstate capacitance of the first switch to cause insertion loss associatewith the bypass path to be reduced. The second inductor is configured tocompensate for a capacitance of a transmission line of the bypass pathto cause the insertion loss associate with the bypass path to bereduced. The third inductor is configured to compensate for an off statecapacitance of the second switch to cause the insertion loss associatewith the bypass path to be reduced.

Another aspect of this disclosure is an apparatus that includes atransmission line and at least one inductor. The transmission lineelectrically connects a first multi-throw switch with a secondmulti-throw switch. The at least one inductor is configured tocompensate for a capacitance associated with the transmission line tocause insertion loss of the transmission line to be reduced.

The at least one inductor can compensate for capacitance of at least oneof an off state capacitance of the first multi-throw switch, an offstate capacitance of the second multi-throw switch, or a capacitance ofthe transmission line to cause insertion loss of the transmission lineto be reduced.

Another aspect of this disclosure is an apparatus that includes atransmission line electrically connecting a first multi-throw switch anda second multi-throw switch and at least one inductor configured tocompensate for an off state capacitance of the first multi-throw switchand an off state capacitance of the second multi-throw switch.

For purposes of summarizing the disclosure, certain aspects, advantagesand novel features of the inventions have been described herein. It isto be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may beachieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention.Thus, the inventions may be embodied or carried out in a manner thatachieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taughtherein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taughtor suggested herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described, by way ofnon-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a diversity module according to anembodiment;

FIG. 2A is a schematic block diagram of a diversity module according toanother embodiment;

FIG. 2B is a schematic block diagram of a diversity module according toanother embodiment;

FIG. 2C is a schematic block diagram of a diversity module according toanother embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the diversity module of FIG. 2A withparasitics illustrated;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of illustrating parasitics of a bypasspath in the diversity module of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 5 is a graph comparing insertion loss in the diversity module ofFIG. 2A with a previous diversity module;

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless device that includes adiversity module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description of certain embodiments presentsvarious descriptions of specific embodiments. However, the innovationsdescribed herein can be embodied in a multitude of different ways, forexample, as defined and covered by the claims. In this description,reference is made to the drawings where like reference numerals canindicate identical or functionally similar elements. It will beunderstood that elements illustrated in the figures are not necessarilydrawn to scale. Moreover, it will be understood that embodiments caninclude more elements than illustrated in a particular drawing and/or asubset of the illustrated elements.

Some wireless devices, such as handsets, can include a plurality ofantennas including at least a primary antenna and a diversity antenna.Wireless devices configured to receive and/or transmit signals inaccordance with the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard assume that adevice includes at least two receive antennas. With multiple antennas,signals can be received at more than one physical location. To improvereception, signals from multiple antennas at different physicallocations can be combined. In certain configurations, the primaryantenna can be located physically close to a receive chip set and thediversity antenna can be located spaced apart from the primary antennafor physical diversity. With the diversity antenna being locatedrelatively far from the receive chip set, signals received at thediversity antenna can experience loss through cable and/or other wiringconnecting the diversity antenna to the receive chip set. In someinstances, such a cable can result in a loss of about 2 decibels (dB).

It can be desirable for signals associated with the diversity antenna tohave approximately the same signal strength as signals associated withthe primary antenna. Accordingly, a diversity module can provide a gainto compensate for losses on signals received by the diversity antenna,such as losses from cables or other wiring. The diversity module caninclude one or more receive paths that each includes a filter and a lownoise amplifier. For instance, the diversity module can include aplurality of receive paths that each include a band pass filterconfigured to pass a different frequency band and a low noise amplifierconfigured to amplify an output of a respective band pass filter.

The diversity module can also include a bypass path that avoidsprocessing, such as filtering and amplification, of a signal associatedwith the diversity antenna. The bypass path can function as atransmission line that avoids the filtering and amplification of the oneor more receive paths of the diversity module. For instance, when asignal received from the diversity antenna is outside of a pass band ofa filter of any of the one or more receive paths (for example, outsideof a pass band of a band pass filter of any of the one or more receivepaths), it can be desirable to bypass the one or more receive paths withthe bypass path. The bypass path can provide a signal received from thediversity antenna to an antenna switch module without filtering and/oradding a gain. The antenna switch module can then process signalsassociated with the diversity antenna and provide the processed signalsto a receiver and/or a transceiver. In some applications, the bypasspath can be used to transmit signals using the diversity antenna. Insuch applications, an antenna switch module can provide an RF signal tothe diversity module to transmit from the diversity antenna by way ofthe bypass path.

In a diversity module, it can be desirable for a bypass path to have aslow of an insertion loss as possible over a relatively wide frequencyrange (e.g., a frequency range spanning several GHz or a frequency rangespanning at least about 10 GHz). With a relatively low insertion loss,the bypass path can provide a low loss receive path and/or a low losstransmit path.

Capacitances in the diversity module can result in insertion loss in abypass path. Such capacitances can result from capacitive loading of thetransmission line of the bypass path and/or of one or more switches ofthe diversity module. For instance, a multi-throw switch can couple anRF signal to a bypass path. In this example, off state capacitancesassociated with throws that are unconnected to the bypass path cancreate undesirable capacitance in the bypass path. The capacitanceassociated with one or more switches and/or the transmission line of thebypass path can be significant and can result in increased insertionloss. This increased insertion loss can have a more pronounced effect athigher operating frequencies. For instance, absent compensation,parasitic capacitance associated with one or more switches and/or thetransmission line of the bypass path can significantly affect insertionloss at frequency of at least about 2 GHz in certain applications.

Aspects of this disclosure relate to compensating for capacitances thatcan cause insertion loss in a bypass path, such as a bypass path in adiversity module. One or more inductors can compensate for some or allof the capacitance that causes insertion loss in the bypass path.Accordingly, the one or more inductors can reduce insertion loss of thebypass path. Such compensation can be present over a relatively widefrequency range, such as a frequency range of several to tens of GHz. Inone embodiment, a bypass path electrically connects a first switch witha second switch, a first inductor can substantially cancel an off statecapacitance of the first switch, a second inductor can substantiallycancel a capacitance of the bypass path, and a third inductor cansubstantially cancel an off state capacitance of the second switch.

With the one or more inductors to compensate for capacitance that cancause insertion loss on the bypass path, the length of the transmissionline in the bypass path can contribute relatively less to insertionloss. Accordingly, such a transmission line can have a longer lengthwithout significantly impacting insertion loss of the bypass path due tocompensation by the one or more inductors. Alternatively oradditionally, switch size of the first switch and/or the second switchthat are connected by the bypass path can have less of an effect oninsertion loss compared to previous designs due to inductivecompensation for the off state switch capacitances.

While this disclosure may describe examples in diversity modules ofwireless devices for illustrative purposes, the principles andadvantages described herein may be applied to other suitableapplications. Moreover, while features of this disclosure may bedescribed with reference to receiving RF signals for illustrativepurposes, any of the principles and advantages discussed herein can beapplied in connection with a circuit configured to transmit RF signals,a circuit configured to receive RF signals and/or a circuit configuredto both transmit and receive RF signals. For instance, the principlesand advantages discussed herein can be applied to any context wherethere is a bypass path electrically between two multi-throw switches andalso a radio frequency signal path electrically coupled between the twomulti-throw switches, in which the radio frequency signal path canprocess a radio frequency signal for receiving or transmitting.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a diversity module 100 according to anembodiment. The diversity module 100 and/or any of the diversity modulesreferenced herein can be implemented in a wireless device, such as amobile device, for example. For instance, the diversity module 100 canbe implemented in a smart phone. The diversity module 100 and/or any ofthe other diversity modules can include more or fewer elements thanillustrated. The diversity module 100 can receive an RF signal from adiversity antenna and provide a processed version of the received RFsignal to a receive port. In some instances, the diversity module 100can also be used to transmit an RF signal using the diversity antenna.The illustrated diversity module 100 includes a first switch 110, asecond switch 120, a bypass path 130, and receive paths 135.

The first switch 110 can be an RF switch configured to pass RF signalsfrom an antenna port to the bypass path 130 or to a selected one of thereceive paths 135. The first switch 110 can be bidirectional such thatthe first switch 110 can also provide a signal from the bypass path 130to the antenna port. The first switch 110 can be considered an inputswitch for receiving signals from the antenna port. When the firstswitch 110 is bidirectional, it can be considered an output switch forfacilitating transmission of a signal from the antenna port. Whilefeatures of this disclosure may be described with reference to oneantenna port for illustrative purposes, any of the principles andadvantages discussed herein can be applied in connection with multipleantenna ports and/or multiple diversity antennas. One or more of theinductors L1, L2, or L3 can be implemented separately in connection witheach of a plurality of antennas and/or antenna ports. For instance, incertain applications, one first inductor L1 can be implemented inconnection with a first antenna and another first inductor L1 can beimplemented in connection with a second antenna. One or more of theinductors L1, L2, or L3 can be implemented to provide inductivecompensation associated with a plurality of antennas and/or antennaports. As one example, one third inductor L3 can be implemented inconnection with multiple antennas.

In one state, the first switch 110 electrically couples the antenna portto the bypass path 130 and electrically isolates the antenna port fromreceive paths 135. Such a state corresponds to a bypass mode. In otherstates, the first switch 110 electrically couples the antenna port to aselected one of the receive paths 135 and electrically isolates theother receive paths 135 and bypass path 130 from the antenna port.

The first switch 110 can include a shunt element and a switch elementassociated with each throw. To selectively electrically couple a signalassociated with a selected throw to the antenna port, the first switch110 can turn on the switch element associated with the selected throw,turn off the shunt element associated with the selected throw, turn onthe shunt elements associated with the other throws, and turn off theswitch elements associated with the other throws. The shunt element andthe switch element can each be implemented by one or more field effecttransistors, for example. In some implementations, the shunt element canbe implemented by two or more field effect transistors in series witheach other and/or the series element can be implemented by two or morefield effect transistors in series with each other.

The illustrated first switch 110 is a multi-throw switch. The firstswitch 110 can include two or more throws. For instance, the illustratedfirst switch 110 includes four throws. The first switch 110 can have anysuitable number of throws that is 2 or greater for a particularapplication. The first switch 110 can have a single pole. In some otherembodiments (not illustrated), the first switch 110 can have two or morepoles.

The second switch 120 can be an RF switch configured to pass RF signalsfrom the bypass path 130 or a selected one of the receive paths 135 tothe receive port. The second switch 120 can be bidirectional such thatthe second switch 120 can also provide an RF signal to the bypass path130 to facilitate transmission of the RF signal from the antenna port.The RF signal can be received at the receive port, in which case thereceive port can operate as a transmit port in a transmit mode ofoperation, or another port. For instance, the RF signal can be providedto the receive port by an antenna switch module for transmission via adiversity antenna electrically connected to the first switch 110. Inanother implementation (not illustrated), the second switch 120 caninclude a first pole associated with receiving and a second poleassociated with transmitting such that either a receive port or atransmit port can be electrically connected to the bypass path 130. Thesecond switch 120 can be considered an output switch for receivingsignals from the antenna port. When the second switch 120 isbidirectional, it can be considered an input switch for facilitatingtransmission from the antenna port.

In a state corresponding to a bypass mode, the second switch 120electrically couples the receive port to the bypass path 130 andelectrically isolates the receive port from the receive paths 135. Inother states, the second switch 120 electrically couples the receiveport to a selected one of the receive paths 135 and electricallyisolates the other receive paths 135 and bypass path 130 from thereceive port.

The second switch 120 can include a shunt element and a switch elementassociated with each throw. To selectively electrically couple a signalassociated with a selected throw to the receive port, the second switch120 can turn on the switch element associated with the selected throw,turn off the shunt element associated with the selected throw, turn onthe shunt elements associated with the other throws, and turn off theswitch elements associated with the other throws. The shunt element andthe switch element can each be implemented by one or more field effecttransistors, for example. In some implementations, the shunt element canbe implemented by two or more field effect transistors in series witheach other and/or the series element can be implemented by two or morefield effect transistors in series with each other.

The illustrated second switch 120 is a multi-throw switch. The secondswitch 120 can include two or more throws. For instance, the illustratedsecond switch 120 includes four throws. The second switch 120 can haveany suitable number of throws that is 2 or greater for a particularapplication. The second switch 120 can have a single pole. In some otherembodiments (not illustrated), the second switch 120 can have two ormore poles. The second switch 120 can have a different number of polesand/or throws than the first switch 110 in certain applications.

The bypass path 130 can avoid filtering and amplification of a signalassociated with the diversity antenna. The bypass path 130 can functionas a transmission line between the first switch 110 and the secondswitch 120 that bypasses the receive paths 135. Accordingly, a signalcan be passed by way of the bypass path 130 from the antenna port to thereceive port (or from the receive port to the antenna port) withoutbeing processed by any of the receive paths 135.

One or more inductive circuit elements can be included in the diversitymodule 100 to cause insertion loss associated with the bypass path 130to be reduced. While the diversity module 100 and the other diversitymodules disclosed herein include three such inductors L1, L2, and L3,one or more of these inductors can be included in certain embodiments.Moreover, one or more of the inductors L1, L2, or L3 can be tunable suchthat the inductance of one or more of the inductors L1, L2, or L3 can beadjusted. For example, any of these inductors can include a baseinductor with one or more additional inductors that can be switched inor switch out in parallel with the base inductor to change the effectiveinductance of the inductor.

In FIG. 1, the illustrated first inductor L1 has a first end coupled tothe bypass path 130 and a second end coupled to a ground potential.Accordingly, in FIG. 1, the first inductor L1 is configured as a shuntinductor. The first switch 110 can be disposed between the firstinductor L1 and the antenna port. The first inductor L1 can have aninductance selected to compensate for some or all of the off statecapacitance of the first switch 110 in bypass mode. Accordingly, thefirst inductor L1 can substantially cancel effects of off statecapacitance from the first switch 110 to reduce or substantiallyeliminate the effect of such capacitance on insertion loss of the bypasspath 130. In some embodiments, the first inductor L1 can also compensatefor at least a portion of the capacitance of a transmission line of thebypass path 130.

The illustrated second inductor L2 can be coupled in series in thebypass path 130 between the first switch 110 and the second switch 120.The second inductor L2 can have an inductance to compensate forparasitic capacitance of the transmission line of the bypass path 130.The second inductor L2 can substantially cancel effects of capacitanceof the bypass path 130 to reduce or substantially eliminate the effectof such capacitance on insertion loss of the bypass path 130. In someembodiments, the second inductor L2 can also compensate for at least aportion of the off state capacitance of the first switch 110 and/or atleast a portion of the off state capacitance of the second switch 120.

The illustrated third inductor L3 has a first end coupled to the bypasspath 130 and a second end coupled to a ground potential. As illustratedin FIG. 1, the third inductor L3 is configured as a shunt inductor. Thesecond switch 120 can be disposed between the third inductor L3 and thereceive port. The third inductor L3 can have an inductance selected tocompensate for some or all of the off state capacitance of the secondswitch 120 in bypass mode. Accordingly, the third inductor L3 cansubstantially cancel effects of off state capacitance from the secondswitch 120 to reduce or substantially eliminate the effect of suchcapacitance on insertion loss of the bypass path 130. In someembodiments, the third inductor L3 can also compensate for at least aportion of the capacitance of a transmission line of the bypass path130.

The receive paths 135 can filter and amplify a signal from the antennaport and provide a filtered, amplified signal to the receive port by wayof the second switch 120. Each of the receive paths 135 can include afirst matching circuit 140 a/140 b/140 c, a band pass filter 150 a/150b/150 c to filter a signal received from the antenna port by way of thefirst switch 110, a second matching circuit 160 a/160 b/160 c, and a lownoise amplifier 170 a/170 b/170 c to amplify an output from the bandpass filter 150 a/150 b/150 c. The band pass filter 150 a/150 b/150 c ofeach of receive path can pass a different frequency band. Alternativelyor additionally, the band pass filter 150 a/150 b/150 c of each ofreceive path can have different filter characteristics, such as out ofband attenuation, etc. Although three different receive paths areillustrated in FIG. 1, any suitable number of receive paths can beimplemented. For instance, in certain applications, 1 to 10 receivepaths can be included in the diversity module.

While the figures illustrate the receive paths 135 and the bypass path130 between two multi-throw switches, any of the principles andadvantages discussed in this disclosure can be applied to other suitablecontexts, such as (1) a bypass path 130 and a single receive pathbetween multi-throw switches; (2) a bypass path 130 and one or moretransmit paths between multi-throw switches; and (3) a bypass path 130,one or more receive paths and one or more transmit paths betweenmulti-throw switches.

FIG. 2A is a schematic block diagram of a diversity module 200 accordingto another embodiment. The diversity module 200 of FIG. 2A issubstantially the same as the diversity module 100 of FIG. 1, exceptthat the first inductor L1 and the third inductor L3 are coupled to thebypass path 130 at different nodes. Accordingly, other than the nodes atwhich the first inductor L1 and the third in inductor L3 are coupled,the diversity module 200 can implement any of the principles andadvantages discussed with FIG. 1. As one non-limiting example, theswitches 110 and 120 in the illustrated in FIG. 2A can implement anycombination of features discussed with reference to FIG. 1. The firstinductor L1 of FIG. 2A is coupled on an opposing side of the firstswitch 110 relative to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 and thethird inductor L3 of FIG. 2A is coupled on an opposing side of thesecond switch 120 relative to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. Thefirst inductor L1 and the third inductor L3 of FIG. 2A are part of thediversity module 200 of FIG. 2A. In the illustrated diversity module200, the first switch 110 is coupled between the first inductor L1 andthe bypass path 130. The inductance of the first inductor L1 can impactboth the bypass path 130 and the receive paths 135 in the diversitymodule 200, as opposed to inductance of the first inductor L1 onlyhaving a substantial impact on the bypass path 130 in the diversitymodule 100. Additionally, in the illustrated diversity module 200, thesecond switch 120 is coupled between the bypass path 130 and the thirdinductor 130. The inductance of the third inductor L3 can impact boththe bypass path 130 and the receive paths 135 in the diversity module200, as opposed to inductance of the third inductor L3 only having asubstantial impact on the bypass path 130 in the diversity module 100.

In another embodiment, the first inductor L1 can be arranged inaccordance with the diversity module 100 as illustrated in FIG. 1 andthe third inductor L3 can be arranged in accordance with the diversitymodule 200 as illustrated in FIG. 2A. Alternatively, the first inductorL1 can be arranged in accordance with the diversity module 200 asillustrated in FIG. 2A and the third inductor L3 can be arranged inaccordance with the diversity module 100 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

According to other embodiments, both the first inductor L1 of FIG. 1 andthe first inductor L1 of FIG. 2A can be implemented together such thatthese inductors have a net effect of substantially canceling off statecapacitance of the first switch 110. Alternatively or additionally, boththe third inductor L3 of FIG. 1 and the third inductor L3 of FIG. 2A canbe implemented together such that these inductors have a net effect ofsubstantially canceling off state capacitance of the first switch 120.

One or more of the inductors L1, L2, or L3 can have a tunable impedance.Having a tunable impedance can enable one or more of the inductors L1,L2, or L3 to adjust their impedance to account for variations, such asprocess variations, in capacitance that can result in insertion lossassociated with the bypass path 130. For instance, an inductor with anadjustable impedance can compensation for variations in an off statecapacitance of the first switch 110, variations in capacitanceassociated with the transmission line of the bypass path, variations inoff state capacitance of the second switch 120, or any combinationthereof. In one embodiment, one or more of the inductors L1, L2, or L3can be implemented with a tunable capacitance in parallel.

FIG. 2B is a schematic block diagram of a diversity module 200′according to another embodiment. The diversity module 200′ can implementany of the principles and advantages discussed with reference to thediversity module 200 and/or any suitable combination of featuresdiscussed with reference to the diversity module 100. The diversitymodule 200′ of FIG. 2B is substantially the same as the diversity module200 of FIG. 2A, except that the first inductor L1 and the third inductorL3 are illustrated as being tunable inductors L1′ and L3′ in FIG. 2B. Inanother embodiment (not illustrated), the second inductor L2 can also betunable.

The first inductor L1 and the third inductor L3 can each be implementedby any suitable tunable inductance circuit. In some other embodiments,only one of the first inductor L1 or the third inductor can beimplemented by a suitable tunable independence circuit. As one example,a tunable impedance circuit can include a base inductor with one or moreadditional inductors that can be switched in or switch out in seriesand/or in parallel with the base inductor to change the effectiveinductance of the inductor. As another example, a tunable impedance caninclude one or more inductors that can be switched in or switch out inseries and/or in parallel with each other.

In certain embodiments, the tunable first inductor L1 can includeswitches disposed in series between respective inductive elements andthe antenna port. One or more of the inductive elements of the tunablefirst inductor L1 can be selectively electrically coupled to the antennaport to provide a desired effective impedance. In such an embodiment,each inductive element of the first inductor L1 can be electricallyisolated from the antenna port in a decoupled state such that theeffective inductance of the first inductor L1 can be approximately zeroin the decoupled state. Similarly, in certain embodiments, the tunablethird inductor L3 can include switches disposed in series betweenrespective inductive elements and the receive port. One or more of theinductive elements of the tunable third inductor L3 can be selectivelyelectrically coupled to the receive port to provide a desired effectiveimpedance. In such an embodiment, each inductive element of the thirdinductor L3 can be electrically isolated from the receive port in adecoupled state such that the effective inductance of the third inductorL3 can be approximately zero in the decoupled state.

In various embodiments, the tunable first inductor L1 can include aplurality of inductive elements arranged in series with each otherbetween the antenna port and a reference potential, such as ground. Eachof the inductive elements can be arranged in parallel with a respectiveswitch. When a respective switch is turned on, the correspondinginductive element can be bypassed. The inductance of the first inductorL1 can be tuned by selectively bypassing one or more inductive elements.Similarly, in certain embodiments, the tunable third inductor L3 caninclude a plurality of inductive elements arranged in series with eachother between the receive port and a reference potential, such asground. Each of the inductive elements can be arranged in parallel witha respective switch. When a respective switch is turned on, thecorresponding inductive element can be bypassed. The inductance of thethird inductor L3 can be tuned by selectively bypassing one or moreinductive elements.

One or more of the inductors L1, L2, or L3 can be arranged in a varietyof ways to compensate for capacitance associated with the bypass path.For example, the inductors L1 and/or L3 can be implemented as shuntinductors as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2A, and/or 2B or implemented asseries inductors as illustrated in FIG. 2C.

FIG. 2C is a schematic block diagram of a diversity module 200″according to another embodiment. The diversity module 200″ can implementany of the principles and advantages discussed with reference to thediversity module 200 and/or any suitable combination of featuresdiscussed with reference to the diversity module 100 and/or thediversity module 200′. The diversity module 200″ of FIG. 2C issubstantially the same as the diversity module 200 of FIG. 2A, exceptthat the first inductor L1 and the third inductor L3 are arranged asseries inductors in FIG. 2C instead of as shunt inductors as illustratedin FIG. 2A. In FIG. 2C, the first inductor L1 is disposed in seriesbetween the antenna port and the first switch 110. Similarly, in FIG.2C, the third inductor L2 is disposed in series between the secondswitch 120 and the receive port. The inductance of the first inductor L1in FIG. 2C can be selected such that it substantially cancels on offstate capacitance of the first switch 110. The inductance of the thirdinductor L3 of FIG. 2C can be selected such that it substantiallycancels on off state capacitance of the first switch 120.

In another embodiment, the first inductor L1 can be arranged as a seriesinductor as illustrated in FIG. 2C and the third inductor L3 can bearranged as a shunt inductor as illustrated in any one of FIGS. 1 to 2B.In another embodiment, the third inductor L3 can be arranged as a seriesinductor as illustrated in FIG. 2C and the first inductor L1 can bearranged as a shunt inductor as illustrated in any one of FIGS. 1 to 2B.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the diversity module 200 of FIG. 2Awith parasitics illustrated for a first state in which the antenna portis electrically connected to the bypass path 130 by the first switch 110and the first switch 110 electrically isolates the antenna port from thereceive paths 135. The first state can correspond to bypass mode of thediversity module 200. As illustrated in FIG. 3, in the first state, thefirst switch 110 can have a series capacitance of C_(OFF1) _(_)_(SERIES) for each of the throws that are unconnected to the bypass path130. An off state capacitance of the first switch 110 includes theseries capacitances C_(OFF1) _(_) _(SERIES). In addition, in the firststate, the first switch 100 can have a shunt resistance R_(ON1) _(_)_(SHUNT) for each of the throws that are unconnected to the bypass path130. In the illustrated first switch 110, there are three such seriescapacitances C_(OFF1) _(_) _(SERIES) and three shunt resistances R_(ON1)_(_) _(SHUNT) in the first state.

Similarly, when the second switch 120 electrically connects the bypasspath 130 to the receive port and electrically isolates the receive paths135 from the receive port, the second switch 120 can have a seriescapacitance of C_(OFF2) _(_) _(SERIES) corresponding to each of thethrows of the second switch 120 that are unconnected to the bypass path130. An off state capacitance of the second switch 120 includes theseries capacitances C_(OFF2) _(_) _(SERIES). In this state, the secondswitch 120 can also have shunt resistances R_(ON2) _(_) _(SHUNT)associated with each throw unconnected to the bypass path 130.

When a particular path of the first switch 110 is on, there can be aseries resistance R_(ON1) _(_) _(SERIES) associated with the on path anda shunt capacitance C_(OFF1) _(_) _(SHUNT) associated with theparticular path that is on. The off state capacitance of the firstswitch 110 can include the shunt capacitance C_(OFF1) _(_) _(SHUNT),which is an off state capacitance associated with the on path of thefirst switch 110. In the first state, the first switch 110 can also havea series resistance R_(ON1) _(_) _(SERIES) and a shunt capacitanceC_(OFF1) _(_) _(SHUNT) associated with the throw connected to the bypasspath 130. Likewise, when the second switch 120 electrically connects thebypass path 130 to the receive port, the second switch can have a seriesresistance R_(ON2) _(_) _(SERIES) and a shunt capacitance C_(OFF2) _(_)_(SHUNT) associated with the throw passing a between the bypass path 130and the receive port. The shunt capacitance C_(OFF1) _(_) _(SHUNT) canbe considered part of the off state capacitance of the first switch 110.Similarly, the shunt capacitance C_(OFF2) _(_) _(SHUNT) can beconsidered part of the off state capacitance of the second switch 120.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of illustrating parasitics of a bypasspath 130 in bypass mode in the diversity module 200 of FIG. 2A. In FIG.4, the total series off state capacitance of the first switch 110 forbypass mode is represented by the capacitor having a capacitance ofTotal C_(OFF1) _(_) _(SERIES). The inductance of the first inductor L1can be selected to substantially cancel the total series off statecapacitance Total C_(OFF1) _(_) _(SERIES) of the first switch 110.

As shown in FIG. 4, the shunt off state capacitance of the first switch110 is represented by a capacitor having a capacitance of C_(OFF1) _(_)_(SHUNT), the shunt off state capacitance of the second switch 120 isrepresented by a capacitor having a capacitance of C_(OFF2) _(_)_(SHUNT), and capacitances of the transmission line of the bypass path130 on either side of the second inductor L2 are represented bycapacitors having a capacitance of C_(TR/2). The second inductor L2 cansubstantially cancel the capacitance of the transmission line of thebypass path 130. As shown in FIG. 4, the inductance of the secondinductor L2 can be selected to also substantially cancel the shunt offstate capacitance C_(OFF1) _(_) _(SHUNT) of the first switch 110 and theshunt off state capacitance C_(OFF2) _(_) _(SHUNT) of the second switch120. In some other embodiments, the first inductor L1 can compensate forsome or all of the shunt off state capacitance C_(OFF1) _(_) _(SHUNT) ofthe first switch 110 and/or the third inductor L3 can compensate forsome or all of the shunt capacitance C_(OFF2) _(_) _(SHUNT) of thesecond switch 120.

In FIG. 4, the total series off state capacitance of the second switch120 for bypass mode is represented by the capacitor having a capacitanceof Total C_(OFF2) _(_) _(SERIES). The inductance of the third inductorL3 can be selected to substantially cancel the total series off statecapacitance Total C_(OFF2) _(_) _(SERIES) of the second switch 120.

With the first inductor L1, the second inductor L2, and the thirdinductor L3, the bypass path 130 can function like the antenna port andthe receive port are connected by way of the on resistances of the firstswitch 110 and the second switch 120. This can result in a relativelylow insertion loss for the bypass path 130.

In the embodiments of FIG. 1, FIG. 2B, FIG. 2C the first inductor L1,the second inductor L2, and the third inductor L3 can cancel the samecapacitances associated with the bypass path 130 in a similar manner. Inone embodiment of FIG. 1, the first inductor L1 can have an inductanceselected to substantially cancel both the off state series capacitanceTotal C_(OFF1) _(_) _(SERIES) of the first switch 110 and the off stateshunt capacitance C_(OFF1) _(_) _(SHUNT) of the first switch 110. Thesecond inductor L2 of this embodiment can have an inductance selected tosubstantially cancel the capacitance of the transmission line of thebypass path 130 on both sides of the second inductor L2, which areillustrated as the capacitors having a capacitance of C_(TR/2) in FIG.4. Additionally, in this embodiment, the third inductor L3 can have aninductance selected to substantially cancel both the off state seriescapacitance Total C_(OFF2) _(_) _(SERIES) of the second switch 120 andthe off state shunt capacitance C_(OFF2) _(_) _(SHUNT) of the secondswitch 120.

FIG. 5 is a graph comparing insertion loss in the diversity module 200of FIG. 2A with a corresponding diversity module without the firstinductor L1, the second inductor L2, and the third inductor L3. Thecurve 500 corresponds to the diversity module 200 and the curve 502corresponds to the corresponding diversity module without inductivecompensation. These curves show that the inductors the diversity module200 improved insertion loss over a relatively wide frequency range. Ingenerating these curves, a Q factor of 25 for the inductors L2, L2, andL3 was used.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless device 611 thatincludes a diversity module 623 that any implement any combination offeatures of the diversity module 100 of FIG. 1 and/or the diversitymodule 200 of FIG. 2A. The wireless device 611 is an example applicationfor implementing the diversity modules described herein. The wirelessdevice can be, for example, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a devicethat is configured to communicate in accordance with LTE and/or acommunications standard that accounts for multiple antennas, a devicethat has an LTE module, or a device that is configured for wirelesscommunication having multiple antennas.

Referring to FIG. 6, a schematic block diagram of one example of awireless or mobile device 611 will be described. The mobile device 611can include radio frequency (RF) modules implementing one or morefeatures of the present disclosure. In particular, the mobile device 611includes a diversity module 623 that can implement any suitablecombination of features discussed above associated with decreasinginsertion loss of a bypass path.

The example mobile device 611 depicted in FIG. 6 can represent amulti-band and/or multi-mode device such as a multi-band/multi-modemobile phone. By way of examples, Global System for Mobile (GSM)communication standard is a mode of digital cellular communication thatis utilized in many parts of the world. GSM mode mobile phones canoperate at one or more of four frequency bands: 850 MHz (approximately824-849 MHz for transmit, 869-894 MHz for receive), 900 MHz(approximately 880-915 MHz for transmit, 925-960 MHz for receive), 1800MHz (approximately 1710-1785 MHz for transmit, 1805-1880 MHz forreceive), and 1900 MHz (approximately 1850-1910 MHz for transmit,1930-1990 MHz for receive). Variations and/or regional/nationalimplementations of the GSM bands are also utilized in different parts ofthe world.

Code division multiple access (CDMA) is another standard that can beimplemented in mobile phone devices. In certain implementations, CDMAdevices can operate in one or more of 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and1900 MHz bands, while certain W-CDMA and Long Term Evolution (LTE)devices can operate over, for example, 22 or more radio frequencyspectrum bands.

RF modules of the present disclosure can be used within a mobile deviceimplementing the foregoing example modes and/or bands, and in othercommunication standards. For example, 3G, 4G, LTE, and Advanced LTE arenon-limiting examples of such standards.

In certain embodiments, the mobile device 611 can include an antennaswitch module 612, a transceiver 613, one or more primary antennas 614,power amplifiers 617, a control component 618, a computer readablemedium 619, a processor 620, a battery 621, one or more diversityantennas 622, and a diversity module 623. The diversity module canimplement any combination of features of the diversity modules discussedherein include the diversity module 100 and/or the diversity module 200.

The transceiver 613 can generate RF signals for transmission via theprimary antenna(s) 614 and/or the diversity antenna(s) 622. Furthermore,the transceiver 613 can receive incoming RF signals from the primaryantenna(s) and/or the diversity antenna(s) 622. It will be understoodthat various functionalities associated with transmitting and receivingof RF signals can be achieved by one or more components that arecollectively represented in FIG. 6 as the transceiver 613. For example,a single component can be configured to provide both transmitting andreceiving functionalities. In another example, transmitting andreceiving functionalities can be provided by separate components.

In FIG. 6, one or more output signals from the transceiver 613 aredepicted as being provided to the antenna switch module 612 via one ormore transmission paths 615. In the example shown, differenttransmission paths 615 can represent output paths associated withdifferent bands and/or different power outputs. For instance, the twodifferent paths shown can represent paths associated with differentpower outputs (e.g., low power output and high power output), and/orpaths associated with different bands. The transmit paths 615 caninclude one or more power amplifiers 617 to aid in boosting a RF signalhaving a relatively low power to a higher power suitable fortransmission. Although FIG. 6 illustrates a configuration using twotransmission paths 615, the mobile device 611 can be adapted to includemore or fewer transmission paths 615.

In FIG. 6, one or more received signals are depicted as being providedfrom the antenna switch module 612 to the transceiver 613 via one ormore receiving paths 616. In the example shown, different receivingpaths 616 can represent paths associated with different bands. Forexample, the four example paths 616 shown can represent quad-bandcapability that some mobile devices are provided with. Although FIG. 6illustrates a configuration using four receiving paths 616, the mobiledevice 611 can be adapted to include more or fewer receiving paths 616.

To facilitate switching between receive and/or transmit paths, theantenna switch module 612 can be included and can be used electricallyconnect a particular antenna to a selected transmit or receive path.Thus, the antenna switch module 612 can provide a number of switchingfunctionalities associated with an operation of the mobile device 611.The antenna switch module 612 can include one or more multi-throwswitches configured to provide functionalities associated with, forexample, switching between different bands, switching between differentpower modes, switching between transmission and receiving modes, or somecombination thereof. The antenna switch module 612 can also beconfigured to provide additional functionality, including filteringand/or duplexing of signals.

FIG. 6 illustrates that in certain embodiments, the control component618 can be provided for controlling various control functionalitiesassociated with operations of the antenna switch module 612, thediversity module 623, and/or other operating component(s). For example,the control component 618 can provide control signals to the antennaswitch module 612 and/or the diversity module 623 to control electricalconnectivity to the primary antenna(s) 614 and/or diversity antenna(s)622.

In certain embodiments, the processor 620 can be configured tofacilitate implementation of various processes on the mobile device 611.The processor 620 can be a general purpose computer, special purposecomputer, or other programmable data processing apparatus. In certainimplementations, the mobile device 611 can include a computer-readablememory 619, which can include computer program instructions that may beprovided to and executed by the processor 620.

The battery 621 can be any suitable battery for use in the mobile device611, including, for example, a lithium-ion battery.

The illustrated mobile device 611 includes the diversity antenna(s) 622,which can help improve the quality and reliability of a wireless link.For example, including the diversity antenna(s) 622 can reduceline-of-sight losses and/or mitigate the impacts of phase shifts, timedelays and/or distortions associated with signal interference of theprimary antenna(s) 614.

As shown in FIG. 6, the diversity module 623 is electrically connectedto the diversity antenna(s) 622. The diversity module 623 can be used toprocess signals received and/or transmitted using the diversityantenna(s) 622. In certain configurations, the diversity module 623 canbe used to provide filtering, amplification, switching, and/or otherprocessing. The diversity module 623 can include the bypass path 130.One of more of the inductors L1, L2, or L3 can also be included in thediversity module 623. The diversity module 623 can include the firstswitch 110, the second switch 120, the bypass path 130, and one or moretransmit and/or receive paths enclosed within a single package. One ofmore of the inductors L1, L2, or L3 can also be included within thesingle package.

Some of the embodiments described above have provided examples inconnection with diversity modules. However, the principles andadvantages discussed herein can be implemented in any other systems orapparatus that can benefit from inductive compensation for a bypasspath. Such a bypass path can bypass receive and/or transmit paths.

Such a system or apparatus can be implemented in various electronicdevices. Examples of the electronic devices can include, but are notlimited to, consumer electronic products, parts of the consumerelectronic products, electronic test equipment, etc. Examples of theelectronic devices can also include, but are not limited to, RF modulessuch as diversity modules and/or front end modules, memory chips, memorymodules, circuits of optical networks or other communication networks,and disk driver circuits. The consumer electronic products can include,but are not limited to, a mobile phone such as a smart phone, atelephone, a television, a computer monitor, a computer, a hand-heldcomputer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a wearable computingdevice such as a smart watch, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a PCcard, a microwave, a refrigerator, an automobile, a stereo system, acassette recorder or player, a DVD player, a CD player, a VCR, an MP3player, a radio, a camcorder, a camera, a digital camera, a portablememory chip, a washer, a dryer, a washer/dryer, a copier, a facsimilemachine, a scanner, a multi-functional peripheral device, a wrist watch,a clock, etc. Further, the electronic devices can include unfinishedproducts.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout thedescription and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,”“include,” “including” and the like are to be construed in an inclusivesense, as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say,in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” The word “coupled”, asgenerally used herein, refers to two or more elements that may be eitherdirectly connected, or connected by way of one or more intermediateelements Likewise, the word “connected”, as generally used herein,refers to two or more elements that may be either directly connected, orconnected by way of one or more intermediate elements. Additionally, thewords “herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import, when usedin this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and notto any particular portions of this application. Where the contextpermits, words in the above Detailed Description using the singular orplural number may also include the plural or singular numberrespectively. The word “or” in reference to a list of two or more items,that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word: anyof the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and anycombination of the items in the list.

Moreover, conditional language used herein, such as, among others,“can,” “could,” “might,” “can,” “e.g.,” “for example,” “such as” and thelike, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understoodwithin the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certainembodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certainfeatures, elements and/or states. Thus, such conditional language is notgenerally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are inany way required for one or more embodiments or that one or moreembodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or withoutauthor input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/orstates are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

The above detailed description of embodiments of the invention is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formdisclosed above. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, theinvention are described above for illustrative purposes, variousequivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention,as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. For example, whileprocesses or blocks are presented in a given order, alternativeembodiments may perform routines having steps, or employ systems havingblocks, in a different order, and some processes or blocks may bedeleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and/or modified. Each ofthese processes or blocks may be implemented in a variety of differentways. Also, while processes or blocks are at times shown as beingperformed in series, these processes or blocks may instead be performedin parallel, or may be performed at different times.

The teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to othersystems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements andacts of the various embodiments described above can be combined toprovide further embodiments.

While certain embodiments of the inventions have been described, theseembodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are notintended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Indeed, the novelmethods, apparatus, and systems described herein may be embodied in avariety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutionsand changes in the form of the methods and systems described herein maybe made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. Theaccompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover suchforms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of thedisclosure.

1. (canceled)
 2. A diversity module with bypass path loss reduction, thediversity module comprising: an antenna port configured to receive aradio frequency signal; switches including a first multi-throw switchcoupled to the antenna port and a second multi-throw switch; a bypasspath between the first multi-throw switch and the second multi-throwswitch, the bypass path including an inductor coupled in series betweenthe first multi-throw switch and the second multi-throw switch, theinductor configured to cause insertion loss of the bypass path to bereduced; and a receive path between the first multi-throw switch withthe multi-throw second switch, the receive path including a low noiseamplifier.
 3. The diversity module of claim 2 further comprising asecond inductor configured to compensate for an off state capacitance ofthe first multi-throw switch.
 4. The diversity module of claim 3 whereinthe first multi-throw switch is coupled between the second inductor andthe bypass path.
 5. The diversity module of claim 3 wherein the secondinductor has an adjustable inductance.
 6. The diversity module of claim3 wherein the second inductor is a shunt inductor.
 7. The diversitymodule of claim 3 further comprising a third inductor configured tocompensate for an off state capacitance of the second multi-throwswitch.
 8. The diversity module of claim 2 wherein the first multi-throwswitch is configured to electrically connect the antenna port to thebypass path and electrically isolate the antenna port from the receivepath in a first state.
 9. The diversity module of claim 8 wherein thefirst switch multi-throw is configured to electrically connect theantenna port to the receive path and electrically isolate the antennaport from the bypass path in a second state.
 10. The diversity module ofclaim 2 further comprising a second receive path between the firstmulti-throw switch with the multi-throw second switch, the secondreceive path including a second low noise amplifier.
 11. The diversitymodule of claim 10 wherein the first receive path includes a first bandpass filter, the second receive path includes a second band pass filter,and the first band pass filter and the second band pass filter arearranged to pass different frequency bands.
 12. A wireless communicationdevice with bypass path loss reduction, the wireless communicationdevice comprising: a primary antenna; a diversity antenna; and adiversity module configured to receive a radio frequency signal from thediversity antenna, the diversity module including a bypass path and areceive path, the bypass path including an inductor coupled in seriesbetween multi-throw switches and configured to cause insertion loss ofthe bypass path to be reduced, and the receive path including a lownoise amplifier coupled between the multi-throw switches.
 13. Thewireless communication device of claim 12 further comprising an antennaswitch module in communication with the diversity antenna by way of thediversity module.
 14. The wireless communication device of claim 13wherein the antenna switch module is in communication with the primaryantenna.
 15. The wireless communication device of claim 12 wherein thediversity module includes a second inductor configured to compensate foran off state capacitance associated with a multi-throw switch of themulti-throw switches.
 16. The wireless communication device of claim 12wherein the diversity module includes a second receive path associatedwith a different frequency band than the receive path.
 17. A method ofreducing bypass path insertion loss, the method comprising: receiving aradio frequency signal at an input of a diversity module; operating thediversity module in a bypass mode in which the input of the diversitymodule is coupled to an output of the diversity module by way of abypass path that electrically connects a first multi-throw switch with asecond multi-throw switch; and compensating for an off state capacitanceof the first multi-throw switch in the bypass mode to cause insertionloss associated with the bypass path to be reduced.
 18. The method ofclaim 17 further comprising compensating for a capacitance of atransmission line of the bypass path with a series inductor.
 19. Themethod of claim 17 wherein the off state capacitance of the firstmulti-throw switch includes an off state series capacitance associatedwith a throw of the first multi-throw switch that is unconnected to thebypass path.
 20. The method of claim 17 further comprising compensatingfor an off state capacitance of the second multi-throw switch in thebypass mode.
 21. The method of claim 17 wherein the receiving includesreceiving the radio frequency signal from a diversity antenna of amobile phone.